BASF: A mix of technologies for recycling engineering plastics

Circular Economy for Engineering Plastics BASF Relies on a Mix of Technologies

2026-08-03 Source: Press Release Matthias Gutbrod 2 min Reading Time

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The recycling of engineering plastics requires sophisticated processes that go beyond mechanical recycling. In a scientific publication, BASF demonstrates how a combination of different processes can keep engineering plastics in the circular economy. This provides processors with recycled raw materials that meet virgin-grade quality standards.

Plastic waste from the average household is very heterogeneous. Only the right mix of technologies can turn all types of plastic waste into a new source of raw materials.(Bild: BASF) — Plastic waste from the average household is very heterogeneous. Only the right mix of technologies can turn all types of plastic waste into a new source of raw materials.
(Bild: BASF)

Mechanical recycling processes primarily process clean polyolefin packaging waste, but they reach their limits when dealing with complex polymer blends and materials containing additives. To keep engineering plastics—such as automotive components—in the circular economy from heterogeneous waste streams, industrially scaled sorting processes and specialized recovery routes are required.

“There is no single standard technology for recycling engineering plastics,” emphasizes Dr. Bernhard von Vacano, head of the Plastics Circularity research program at BASF. “What matters most is an intelligent mix of different, complementary technologies that are suited to the specific types of plastic waste.”

Solvents and Depolymerization for Polyamides

For more complex types of waste, solvent-based recycling offers a solution: Engineering plastics such as polyamides are selectively extracted from end-of-life components—such as scrap vehicles—using selective solvents, then separated and purified. Depolymerization goes even further, breaking down the polymer chains into their basic chemical building blocks. At its Caojing site in Shanghai, BASF has been operating its first commercial plant since early 2025 for a process called Loopamid, which recycles polyamide 6 from textile waste into recycled materials of virgin-grade quality.

Thermochemical Processes for Mixed Waste

Highly mixed plastic waste, which has traditionally been thermally recycled, requires energy-intensive thermochemical processes. In pyrolysis, high temperatures break down long-chain polymers into short-chain hydrocarbons, which are then reintroduced into the production cycle as pyrolysis oil. Alternatively, gasification produces synthesis gas as a chemical feedstock for synthesis processes.

Framework conditions hinder scaling

Although pilot projects for polyurethanes and polyamides demonstrate technical feasibility, the prerequisites for industrial-scale production are currently still lacking. “We are still missing two crucial building blocks that would allow us to deploy these technologies on an industrial scale and enable viable business models for large-scale investments: First, we need an appropriate waste management system so that we can keep the plastics in the cycle permanently. In addition, policymakers must establish clear and reliable framework conditions for recycling,” explains Dr. Jens Hamprecht, Vice President of BASF’s Performance Materials division.

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Date: 08.12.2025

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